You have just seen one application of reasoning and proof in an early elementary classroom: students tackle a problem by working in pairs and explaining their reasoning to one another and to Ms. Gayles. Reflect on the following questions, and answer one or two in light of the students and content you teach.

Questions to write and reflect about:

What can you do in your classroom to help students learn by explaining their reasoning to one another?

What are some of the advantages of having students work in pairs to develop skill in reasoning and in justifying their ideas?

How do teacher questions help lead students to see patterns, draw conclusions, and make conjectures? What else do teacher questions need to focus on?

Three ways to write and reflect:

Use pen and paper.

Use a word processor.

Use the form below.

Be sure to save what you have written before you navigate out of the journal section.

Your work will be displayed in a printer-friendly format to enable you to print.

Thank you for writing in your journal. Please keep these entries in whatever format you choose -- you will find them useful for reference later.